From: James Mecham
Sent: Monday, May 08, 2000 19:49
To: Justin Hall
Subject: FW: CMGI Wireless Workshop Report

FYI

-----Original Message-----
From: James Mecham 
Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2000 10:24 AM
To: Dennis Fong (E-mail); Mufasa (E-mail); Lyle Fong (E-mail)
Cc: jm@gamers.com
Subject: CMGI Wireless Workshop Report


As you know, I was in Boston on Tuesday and yesterday attending the CMGI
Wireless Workshop.

My purposes at the conference were 1) to find out more about what
wireless technology is, 2) to listen to what other CMGI companies plan
to do with it, 3) to find out what CMGI, as a company, plans to do with
the technology, and 4) to explore how wireless affects Gamers -
including potential business opportunities.


Summary of CMGI's position and future plans for wireless within the CMGI
group:

Many CMGI companies are, or will be, dramatically impacted by this
technology.  Wireless is at the core of what several CMGI companies do;
it fundamentally affects or shapes their business models.  Furthermore,
CMGI plans to encourage, promote, and lead a group of representatives
from these companies to develop a packaged bundle to be offered to
carriers at the CMGI level.

Several CMGI companies will probably play complementary roles in CMGI's
wireless bundle.  Gamers is one of these companies.

To elaborate, a few CMGI companies have built their entire business
model around wireless technology.  This core group of about 4-5
companies will work together with CMGI to formulate a bundle and
strategy with which CMGI will approach carriers.  Several other CMGI
companies, including Gamers, hold pieces of the solution that will
definitely add to the overall offering.

For example, as a group of about 50 people representing different CMGI
companies, we had an open discussion speculating on what the carriers
might be interested in seeing.  Since we had the VP of Enterprise & New
Service Relations from BellSouth in the room, we were able to validate
many of our thoughts.  We concluded that there are three necessary
components to a complete solution: Information, Messaging, and Commerce.
In order to offer these capabilities, companies that have -as part of
their business - four technologies are required.  These technologies
are:

1) Directory/Content - Information.  Especially location-based
information
2) Alerts
3) Transaction
4) Infrastructure (billing, metering...)

As we discussed how CMGI would pull these attributes and technologies
together, we began to talk about what the carriers might be interested
in seeing.  The conversation moved to the demographics the carriers will
probably want to target.  I raised the point that most of our discussion
was focused on the 'road warrior' - traveling business types and
corporate America, but that carriers would likely be very interested in
CMGI's offering to a younger audience.  How can we make the package sexy
to teens and those in their early 20s?  Everyone was quick to agree that
Gamers.com will play a key role in this piece of the strategy.


Potential near-term applications for Gamers:

1) Gamers provides content for CMGI's wireless package.  This could
include simple, factual game information translated into a short,
text-based format for wireless use.
2) Gamers allows users to opt in for wireless updates on updated game
information, game commerce info (someone outbids you, someone wants to
trade with you, coupons for discounts on requested games when
available), instant messaging through our website, or tournament/game
event/LAN Party updates.

Potential longer-term applications for Gamers:

1) Gamers stock messaging (i.e., "Quake IV announced today; id's stock
value is increasing.  Would you like to invest some of your Gamers
points/currency?")
2) Simple WAP-enabled multiplayer games with Gamers branding


Issues:

1) Gamers clearly brings an important element to the CMGI wireless
bundle.  However, it was stressed that CMGI's role must be a
*facilitator* first, and an *investor* second when dealing with
carriers.  That is to say, there will likely be several dozen pieces
offered in the CMGI wireless bundle.  It is probable that some carriers
will already have relationships with other point solutions that may
conflict with some elements of the CMGI offering.  If and when this
occurs, CMGI must provide the option to hack out that part of the
offering for the good of the group.

2) It is still unclear how all the CMGI companies involved will slice up
the pie.  Each company in the package will contribute different amounts
of resources and technology.  How do we divide the spoils?

3) What about CMGI companies that compete with each other to offer
similar or identical solutions in the package?


Next Steps:
CMGI is forming a group to represent key companies that will help
develop the strategy/solution to be offered.  I requested that I be
contacted, included, and updated on what happens with this group.
Specifically, as CMGI is looking to develop a package to target a
younger audience, Gamers.com must be involved.  I said I'd pull in other
representatives from the company as appropriate.

Let me know if anyone has any questions on any of this.  I'll keep you
posted as the CMGI wireless initiative moves forward.  If you want more
detail, I have about 30 pages of notes from the conference that I'd be
happy to share.


-James